Jon Santos: West is the only way to go

Love came like a thief in the night for Jon Santos and stole his heart away when he met Italian-American industrialist West Stewart over dinner with mutual friends Tessie Tomas and husband Roger Pullin.

West has been in the country for years because his work in the renewable energy industry required him to travel in the provinces. Jon, 10 years West’s junior, got hopelessly caught up in his future life partner’s stimulating conversation. West, on the other hand, found Jon just as engaging.

And so, on Aug. 24, 2005, the two found themselves exchanging vows in a civil ceremony at the North York Family Court in Toronto.

It’s been three years of “simplifying and complicating” things for Jon since.

Simplifying because the unconventional union has given Jon “monogamy, stability, laughter, the prospect of growing old together until the time we change each other’s adult diapers.”

With West around, Jon’s barkada is slowly fading into the woodwork. Complicating because it has made Jon pause in the middle of a show to call West up and say, “You have food in the microwave,” or, “Where are you?”

It’s a union of two cosmopolites, so Jon has nothing to complain about as yet.

“West is very Asian,” Jon gushes. The guy, after all, has been based in various parts of the continent for years.

Like a typical Asian, West values family as much as Jon does. One Christmas saw them visiting West’s folk in Philadelphia. Along the way, Jon picked up new recipes from West’s mom.

Another Christmas saw Jon and West spending the holidays with the big Santos family. And it’s just as well. Jon’s mom, a chemist, and West get along fine since they share the same interest in science. Otherwise, Jon and West stay in a condo in Ortigas.

Theirs is a flexible arrangement bound by one policy Jon imposed on himself: Where West goes, I go. Thus, don’t be surprised if Jon does an APO someday. That is, live in one part of the globe, then go back to the Philippines for shows.

Jon’s new manager, Arnold Vegafria of ALV Talent Circuit, doesn’t mind. Thanks to his talent, Jon is not the out-of-sight, out-of-mind type.

Two years after taking a respite, Jon is back to his other love: Acting and performing. This time, he comes even more well-armed. Jon went back to Gina Alajar’s workshops, asked Dogeaters co-stars Joel Torre and Michael de Mesa about their “processing techniques.”

Jon sets aside his comic persona to play the stern-looking Dr. Jerry Donasco on ABS-CBN’s teleserye Humiling Ako Sa Langit, which premieres next year.

“Drama is a puzzle to me,” Jon admits. His jaw dropped even more dumbfounded when he came face-to-face with co-star Judy Ann Santos.

“I had stage fright,” he reveals.

For now, he’s on familiar grounds in the comedy revue series Da Spooftacular Showdown at Museum Museum. The show, which also stars Candy Pangilinan, John Lapus, Pooh, Pokwang, Kim, Vice Ganda and Kaye Brosas, goes on until Dec. 6.

The re-energized Jon is bent on making up for his two-year break from the scene. And who are we not to welcome him back with open arms?